Emergency fuel supply fob motor



Sept. 5, 1950 v. FREsoLoNE EMERGENCY FUEL SUPPLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, BOATS, ETC Filed May 14, 1948 l NV E NTO R M70 Fesoz. ONE

ATTC') R N EY Patented Sept. 5, 1950 OFFICE I EMERGENCY FUEL SUPPLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, BOATS, ETC.

Vito Fresolone, Union, N. J.

Application May 14, 1948, Serial No. 27,013`

1 Claim. (C1. E61-64)' This invention is an emergency fuel supply device for motor vehicles and is adapted to be used in the event that the fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine of an automobile,

truck or the like becomes inoperative to supply fuel to the carburetor. This may occur through stoppage of the gasoline supply lines or for various other reasons. When this failure occurs in a car or truck passing along a highway, the motor becomes inoperative and it has heretofore been the practice for repairmen to make therepair along the highway or to tow the car into a service station where the repair can be made.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device which may be carried in the car or truck, or by a serviceman responding to an emergency call and which will permit of the attachment of such device in a simple and expeditious manner directly to the carburetor of the engine. When thus attached, it will feed an emergency supply of fuel to the engine and thus permit the car or truck to proceed upon its way, either to destination or to a service station .where the needed repair may be made.

One feature of the present invention consists in the incorporation into my device of the re protection means hereinafter more fully described.

Another important feature of this invention is the provision of meanswhich will insure the feed of a proper mixture of fuel and air to the carburetor, so that it may pass therethrough to the engine in a condition to insure eiiicient engine operation.

Features of the invention, other than those n adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1` is a vertical central section throug a device embodying the present invention, said section being taken `on the line I-I of Figure 2. Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

2 air tube. It is provided at its lower end with an appropriate coupler 2 whereby it may be attached to the inlet air passage of a down draft carburetor after the usual air lter has been removedy from the latter. The coupling 2 may be of any desired type, but is preferably in the form of an adapter, so constituted as to t any particularv type of carburetor. Service mechanics may be, suppliedv with different adaptors so as to be able to attach the tube I to the carburetor of any car which they are called upon to service. In any event, the coupling 2 mounts the air tube Iy rigidly in upstanding position upon a carburetor.

The tube I extends upwardly through substantially the center of an auxiliary supply tank 3 which may be of a size to contain one or two gallons of gasoline or other motive fuel. The tube I i'lts closely within the upper and lower walls of the tank and is fixedly secured thereto with leakproof joints, so as to mount the tank 3 upon the tube with the tube projecting above the top of the tank and below the bottom of the tank. Fuel may be introduced into the tank 3y through a llerplug 4. f n

Positioned within the tube I at about the level of the oor of the tank is a spider 5, shown in the form of a casting detailed in Figures 3, 4 and 5. This spider comprises an annular ring 6 tightly tted into the tube I and sweated, welded or otherwise rrnly secured in position therein. Extending inwardly from the ring are two integral arms 1 which support a central hub f8. This hub projects above and below the ring 6 of the spider, as shown best in Figure 5.

The spider is provided therein with an auxiliary supply passage 9 extending diametrically from opposite sides of the ring 6 through the arms I and registering with perforations I il formed in the air tube I, as shown best in Figure 1, so that gasoline from the tank 3 is freely admitted through the perforations I0 into the gasoline supply passage 9. Intersecting with the passage 9 is a passage II which extends axially of the hub. The lower end of this passage I I is counterbored and threaded to receive a closure plug I2, while the upper portion of the passage II is counterbored and threaded to receive a valve stem I3 above a conical valve seat I4 formed in the upper end of the passage I I at the bottom of the threaded counterbore. Spaced above `the valve seat I4 are outlet ducts I5 which pass entirely through the hub 8 to the outer surfaceA thereof and from these ducts I5, channels I6 extend downwardly along the outer surface of the hub to the bottom thereof, as shown best in Figure 5. When the valve stem is raised from its seat, gasoline may iiow from the perforations I0 intoyand through the passage 9, upwardly past the valve seat I4 and out through the ducts I5, 170.110W downwardly through the channels IE.

The valve stem I3 threads into the upper threaded counterbore of the spider hub and is cone-shaped at its lower end after the manner of a needle valve. This valve stem extends upwardly to a point appreciably above the top of the tank and carries a hand wheel I'I whereby the valve may be adjusted with respect to its seat I4.

Seated in the upper open end of the air tube I is a cage I8. This cage may be in the form of a stamping or casting. It is of a size and shape so that its lower portion ts closely into the upper end of the tube wherein it is threaded, sweated or welded in place. The upper portion of the cage above the top of the tube is provided with a series of circumferentially disposed openings I9, shown as circular and six in number. These openings are for the intake of air, but to preclude iiame from passing outwardly through said openings in the event of back re, as hereinafter explained, the lateral wall of the cage is preferably lined with a fine wire mesh in the form of a cylindrical mesh screen 29 which may be conveniently held in position by a few convolutions of spring wire indicated at 22.

The cage I8 is provided at its top with a coaxial boss 23, interiorly threaded to receive the threaded hub 24 of a hand wheel 25. This hand wheel and its hub are rigidly affixed to the upper end of a sleeve 26 which embraces the needle valve stem I3 and extends downwardly to a point somewhat above the upper end of the hub 8 of the spider and secured to the lower end of this sleeve is a retaining nut 21 which supports above it a spring retainer 28. By rotation of the hand wheel 25, the spring retainer may be raised or lowered for reasons presently explained. y

The bottom wall of the cage is out away to form a rather large annular valve seat 2,9 with which an air inlet valve 30 is adapted to cooperate. This air inlet valve is composed of two sections, namely, an upper section 3| and a lower section 32. The lower section 32 has a tubular hub 33 adapted for sliding movement on the sleeve 25, while the upper section 3| has a tubular hub 34 adapted for sliding movement on the hub 33 of the lower section. The lower section 32 has a frusto conical outer edge adapted to cooperate lwith the valve seat 29 and inwardly from said outer edge, said lower section is provided with a series of openings 35 extending entirely through the lower section, as shown best in Figures l, 6 and '1. The upper section 3I of the valve is somewhat smaller than the lower section, i. e., it is of less size than the port opening within the valve seat 29, but nevertheless is of suficient size to `normally cover and seal the openings 35 in the lower section.

' Under normal conditions, the upper section gravitates into engagement with the upper surface of the lower section and serves to seal the openings 35, while a spring 36 is interposed between the lower section 32 and the spring retainer 2B and applies its compression force to normally maintain the lower section 32 in engagement with the seat 29. The amount of pressure exerted by this spring against the lower section may be readily adjusted by rotating the adjusting wheel 25, so as to raise or lower the spring retainer 28.

The device of this invention functions in the following manner:

, When the engine of a car ceases to function properly and it is apparent that its failure to op- 'erate is due to the lack of feed of fuel to the carburetor, the air filter normally attached to the air inlet of the present day down draft carburetor is removed and the device of this invention is substituted in its place, the tank 3 having been previously filled with gasoline or other motive fuel. At this time the needle valve of the valve stem I3 is seated to seal the fuel in the tank 3 and the tension of the spring 36 has been adjusted, by rotation of the handle 25, so that the compression of this spring is sufficient to normally maintain the lower section 32 of the air valve in engagement with the seat 29, but insuicient to overcome the action of suction within the engine of the car to overcome the compression of this spring and draw the valve section 32 away from said seat. VAfter the device has thus been mounted on'the carburetor, the needle valve is raised from its seat by'i'otating the hand wheel I'I. This will allow gasoline` or other motive fuel in the tank 3 to be fed from the tank through the perforations I0, passage 9 and passage I4 whence it passes outwardly through the ducts I5 and starts to ow down through the channels I6.

if the starter of the car is then operated to "turn over" theengine, suction will be communicated from the cylinders through the carburetor into the air tube I and this suction will be sufficient to lower both valve sections 3i and Y32 together so that atmospheric air is drawn in through the openings I9 and downwardly through the air tube I into the carburetor and hence through the intake manifold to the cylinders of the engine.

During its operation, the Apassage of the air l through the air tube I is accomplished with such high velocity that it picks up the gasoline flowin'gthrough the channels I6 and' breaks'it up or divides it into a ne spray, so that it is -carried along in this condition to and through the car-- buretor to the cylinders. The proper mixture of gasoline and air may be very accurately regulated by adjusting the needle valve to supply the amount of fuel and likewise adjusting the spring to control the opening of the air valve 30. In this way a mixture of air and fuel of high eiliciency may be obtained as the mixture passes into the carburetor and thus a smooth and economically operating engine is assured, even when the engine is running `on the emergency supply fuel from the`tank 3. This is made possible because of the ability to properly meter both the fuel and air supplied from the auxiliary tank.

Should a back re occur, the lower section 33 of the air valve 30 will immediately be forced to its seat 29, but the pressure of 4such back nre within the air tube I below this valve will4 act through the openings 35 to lift the upper section 3l and thus permit the back re pressure to escape through the openings I9 without damage to the device. Meanwhile thescreen 20wl1 function to preclude the exitof iiame through the openings I9 land consequently protect those portions of the car beneath the hood from ignition.

As soon as the back re ceases, the device is ready to go to` Work again in the fulfilment of its functions and the cause of such back re may be quickly remedied, if due to lean mixture, by proper regulation of gasoline and air supply as hereinbefore described.

Through the use of the present invention, a motor vehicle, incapacitated by clogged fuel lines, may be. expeditiously equipped with the emergency device which I have described, to permit it tovproceed on its way as long as the fuel in the tank will permit and this supply may be replenished from time to time through the lling opening 4. The device of this invention is highly eincient in the carrying out of its intended purposes and it is perfectly safe to use.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as commensurate with the appended claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent is:

A'n emergency fuel supply device for motor vehicles comprising: a fuel storage tank separate and apart from the tank of the carburetor of the vehicle, an air inlet tube extending vertically through the tank from a point above the same, means to detachably secure said tube at its lower end to the air inlet of said conventional carburetor, the top of said tube having a closure provided with air inlets screened with wire mesh, an air inlet valve seat below the closure, an air inlet valve Within said tube below said seat 'and embodying two sections the lower of which is adapted to upwardly seat against the air inlet valve seat and is provided with Iopenings and the upper of which sections normally rests by gravity upon the lower section to cover said openings, a sleeve extending downwardly through the closure and `air inlet valve and carrying a spring retainer within the tube, a compression spring interposed between said spring retainer and the air inlet valve to normally seat the lower section of the latter, said sleeve being vertically adjustable to regulate the compression of the spring, a needle valve seat positioned in the lower end of the `air tube in a fuel duct leading from the interior of the fuel tank and discharging into the interior oi the air tube, and a needle valve cooperating with said needle valve seat and having a valve stem extending upwardly through said sleeve to a point above the closure and vertically adjustable to regulate the flow of fuel through said duct.

VITO FRESOLONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 829,345 Menns Aug. 21, 1906 993,516 Gentle May 30, 1911 1,246,305 Mundhenk Nov. 13, 1917 1,263,570 Chappelle et al. Apr. 23, 1918 1,573,065 Hess Feb. 16, 1926 2,389,685 Pike Nov. 27, 1945 2,485,701 `Cristofani et al. Oct. 25, 1949 

